Opening Up
by VeniVidiViciMR
Summary: Astoria and Draco have an arranged marriage, and he's still scarred from the war. But one night, before their wedding, she wakes up to him screaming. Can Astoria see past the broken man to a sweeter future husband?


**This takes place after the war, obviously, and is just another Astoria Draco story. I think they might be my favorite Harry Potter couple, strange because they aren't even in the books. I suppose I love Draco enough to want his happiness... no unhappy endings for Draco Malfoy :)**

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><p>They were engaged. It was a long ago arranged marriage that had to be carried out now because it had been signed with blood. The Greengrass line would soon be tied to the Malfoy's. Something far less joyous since the end of the war when the Malfoy's were scorned and were just starting to earn their way back into high society.<p>

"Astoria!" Pricilla Greengrass screeched from downstairs, "Hurry up"

Astoria, still sitting on the edge of her large white iron bed sighed and hopped off, waved her things downstairs and ambled through her large home until she met her mother.

"Smile for Merlin's sake Astoria, this is an honor, the name may be scorned now but just think what a few years will do. Don't screw this up" she demanded harshly as she dragged her youngest daughter to the fireplace and pushed her in.

She emerged from the dark fireplace coughing and brushed her formal robes off, producing a large dust cloud around her, which in turn had her coughing even more.

Then there was a scurry sound, "Miss! Is you wanting to see Mistress Narcissa or Master Draco, miss?"

"Oh, I'm Astoria Greengrass" she said as the house elf bowed deeply to her.

"Binky will take miss to the sitting room, right away miss" he said, jumping through the house, and winding through the corridors. The house was massive, Astoria looked around, sure she would get lost without a map.

Then the house elf stopped and opened the door to give Astoria a clear view of the vast room, covered in Slytherin paraphernalia she felt a little out of the loop, then her eyes connected with Narcissa Malfoy's and she walked over to the table, sitting where she was indicated, right across from Draco, who nodded stiffly to her.

Astoria sighed to herself, was this stiff manor going to be her life from now on? Well what else was out there for her… nothing?

She smiled politely at both and Narcissa poured her a cup of tea, she watched the girl with interest. She never in a million years had imagined that her mother would force her to go through with this after the war, but all the same she still wanted better for her son than Pansy Parkinson.

"We're glad you're here dear" Narcissa commented about a minute later.

Astoria smiled and swallowed her tea, "I'm glad to be here as well Mrs. Malfoy"

"No dear, please call me Narcissa" She insisted with a little flourish of her hand.

"Narcissa" Astoria agreed, smiling at her before lowering her eyes to the cup before her and taking another dainty sip.

The two women talked about random things, societal functions coming up, which Astoria clearly had no interest in, new gossip, which she found dull again. And of course, new clothing, none of this spiked any interest in Astoria.

Draco noticed what he mother did not of course, and wondered idly if she had no interest in anything or was just too sensible to care about such trivial things, he prayed for the second one but knew that he was most likely going to be disappointed.

After a half on hour of mindless small talk Narcissa rose, "Draco dear, show Astoria the gardens, hmm? After dinner you can show her to her rooms, yes?" with that she smiled at Astoria and glided from the room.

Draco, who hadn't been paying much attention, stood up and offered her his arm, which she took out of obligation.

Astoria had always milked a small crush for the elegant boy and butterflies made themselves apparent in her stomach at the contact, no matter how minimal it was.

They walked purposefully through the gardens. Astoria felt like she was an obligation and sighed, "Its alright" she said finally, slowing him to a small walk, "We can go back" she said quietly, yet her words were powerful.

"What?" he asked confused, glancing down at the petite, innocent dark haired girl holding his arm loosely, detached.

"I mean its obvious you don't want this, I'm sure there was someone else" she said like it was no matter at all, but in her heart she pitied herself for entertaining a loveless marriage to a man who would most likely have many mistresses.

"No one else" he said briskly with a shake of his head, "And there wont be anyone" he said nonchalantly, though he knew this was a cause for concern in her mind, he wanted to quell it before she did anything annoying like try to tell him what to do.

His perception of wives were that they wanted to feel secure in the relationship, not wanting threats from more beautiful and willing women. Though to dark haired girl on his arm did hold appeal to Draco, he had to admit that she, while very short, had a wonderfully fit body and gorgeous features. She was beautiful to say the least.

Astoria didn't say anything, she just followed him as he somewhat dragged her through the gardens.

When they got back to the house he didn't drop her hand, but led her instead to a dinning room, not the one that she had been to previously, but smaller, more cozy.

Narcissa was sitting at the head of the table when the entered and Draco pulled out her chair for her, she sat to Narcissa's left and Draco sat right across from her.

"So Astoria" Narcissa started as soon as the main course had been served, "You're a virgin yes?"

Astoria chocked on her soup and hot tears came to her eyes, as she was desperate for water.

Narcissa didn't move an inch but Draco was staring at his mother with contempt.

"I'm sorry?" she asked weakly, looking into Narcissa's eyes.

"You're a virgin?" she said again plainly.

Astoria couldn't fight the pink in her cheeks as she nodded, biting her lip to stop the embarrassment.

"Have you ever-"

"Enough mother" Draco said, glaring at her. He took pity on the poor girl across from him; it also made him somewhat upset that he would be the one to take her virginity.

Sure he'd taken plenty of girls' virginity but they wanted it, this girl clearly did not. He felt like he was violating her. He had no right.

"Are you finished?" he addressed Astoria and she nodded, not able to meet his eyes.

He rose and indicated that she was to follow him, which she did, without a word to Narcissa who was a bit put out with her son.

"Just because her love life is in shambles she finds the need to meddle in mine," he muttered to Astoria darkly, the girl only made a small indication of her hearing it without meeting his eyes.

He didn't say anything more as he opened the door to a large room, it had a small sitting area and a large desk, then through French doors was a huge mahogany bed and a walk in closet, filled with her things already. The door to the bathroom was off of the sitting room and Astoria blinked in shock.

"These are you quarters" he said simply, "Mine are down the hall to the left, there is a silver dragon plague next to it, knock if you need anything" then he was gone, down the hall and disappeared in that door with the dragon on it, for Draco.

Astoria walked into the room and closed the door, it was beautiful and it was hers. She sighed; it just didn't feel like a home. She would have to do something to make the room feel less formal and plastic, something that she was unafraid to mess up and make dirty or sloppy.

After changing into her nightgown, shorter than most because she wouldn't have anyone to see tonight, she grabbed a book and let her hair loose. Her black tendrils fall to mid back and she forgets to pull the brush through them that night, because its her first night of freedom from her mothers nagging, its also her first night of a new prison.

She reads for hours, not able to fall to sleep in a room that is so foreign and feels so lonely. She's never felt so alone in her entire life, and she hates it.

Suddenly a strangled scream is let loose in the house and Astoria throws her book in shock, grabs her wand and runs to the door. She opens it and peeks out, hearing the scream again she darts to Draco's room, feeling that it would be the safest with him.

But the closer she gets the more she realizes that it is Draco who is screaming, she doesn't hesitate to run into the room and she sees him shirtless in his bed, thrashing about and yelling.

He heart is beating a mile a minute as she stares in shock, but as another pain filled scream fills the room she darts over and begins to shake him awake.

"Draco, Draco!" she says urgently and he violently shakes awake so she grips his face and stares down at him as his breathing goes back to normal.

When their eyes connect its like she had never met him, its like he was actually bearing his soul to her and his soul was mangled and in desperate need of attention. Suddenly he was in her arms, breathing heavily. It was awkward, not emotionally, just that his head was resting somewhere near her chest and that made her blush. But sex was the farthest thing from his mind then. He just wanted to hold onto something real to pull him from his nightmare.

She sat on the edge of the bed, "Are you alright?" she asks gently.

He shakes his head and sits up, pulling away from her completely, the blanket reveals that he is only wearing sleeping pants and his sculpted chest was rising and falling quickly glistening with a slight coating of sweat.

"Do you- do you want to talk about it?" she asked again keeping her eyes trained away from his chest as best as she could. Something about the way his muscled rippled beneath her own body when he clutched her in a hug made her blush and feel warm all over.

This time he pauses and opens his mouth then his eyes crumble and he nods slowly.

She brought her legs up and crosses them beneath her, looking right into his eyes. She clamps down on her bottom lip and waits expectantly and patiently, she wants to help, and she's going to listen like no one ever listened to him. She's determined to help him in any way that she possibly can.

He starts at the beginning, as the arrogant child that was taught how to think by his father, grown up to think that he was above everybody else.

He doesn't stop until she hears about the battle of Hogwarts, and his role, or lack there of.

She sits quietly for a moment and he glances into her eyes, his left hand gently moves up to cup her cheek, "Your so innocent… condemned to live with a monster…"

His fingers on her cheek make her tingle in the best way and she opens her mouth, "Your not a monster." She says clearly, staring into his eyes.

He sighs and removes his hand from her soft cheek, making her crave his touch again, "I can never forgive myself for my mistakes, they are too vast, I'm like poison now, I'll run through your veins and destroy you"

"But other people can" she said reasonably, "You may always remember but other people will forget, they _will_ forgive. Why cant you?"

"Can you forgive me?" he wondered idly, tilting his head gently.

"I already have, tonight you opened up to me, that's all I wanted. I just don't want to be lonely, how do you stand it?" She asked, blinking in his face, waiting for his reply.

There was silence then his hands were on her cheeks again, rubbing gently and she didn't move at all, "Stay with me tonight Astoria, please?" he begged, the tight knot in his stomach yearning for a comforting warm body next to him that didn't expect him to do anything.

She nodded he shifted over, lying on his back he made room for her, she slipped under the covers and they lay separate for a few minutes.

Then she feels his hand twine with her fingers and her breath stops, she looks over at him but a look of peace had taken over his features so she turned back around and squeezed his hand then let herself drift off to sleep.

When she woke she was laying on her side, the silk sheets molded around her body in the most comfortable way, she also felt something pressing into her back, all along the back side of her body, it was warm and she wanted to shift closer to it just by instinct, she felt heavy weight strew across her stomach and she blinked, it was an arm.

She felt his even breath against her neck as he was hugging her body to his tightly. His hand rested faintly on her stomach and she felt those butterflies go so crazy that they disappeared and she sighed nervously, but happy nonetheless.

She wiggled a little to get more comfortable and nuzzled herself into his arms deeper. She felt him chuckle behind her and froze, was he embarrassed that she was snuggled so tightly up against him? Her heart started to beat fast and she shut her eyes tightly against the embarrassment.

But at that point his arm stroked her skin through the nightgown and he reached over to kiss her cheek gently, "Good morning" he said calmly, less emotional than the previous night, his speech was eloquent and thought out, but less so than she had ever seen. Obviously he wouldn't be like last night, at his most vulnerable, but he was more open with her. She wanted to see his eyes, to see his soul

"Mmmhhmm, how did you sleep?" she asked softly, wanting to stay as close to him for as long as possible.

He kissed her hair this time, mumbling into it, "Like I had an angel holding my hand the whole time" he said and she blushed, turning slightly to look at him.

He scooted back a bit and propped himself up against the pillow and his elbow, she gulped at how handsome he was without his shirt on, his hair mused from the night of sleep and the peaceful, rested look of his skin and face, "Thank you" he said genuinely.

She bit her lip and nodded, at a loss for what to say. Was that it? Would he go back to being cold now? She hoped with all her heart that this was only the beginning.

What he did next surprised her, he took her hand again, twining his fingers through hers and smiling down at her, "Are you busy today?" he asked, she was staring at their hands and shook her head slowly, confused at what he thought she might be doing.

He grinned then, and her eyes lit up at the beauty of it, "Good, we'll spend the day together, you listened to me, now I want to listen to you… and if your not opposed, spend the night?" he asked tentative on the last request, his eyes bearing into hers uncertainly but filled with hope that she wouldn't even dare to deny.

She nodded blushing again as he leant down to kiss her cheek again. Giving her a lovely smile in the process.

That was the moment that Astoria fell in love with her husband to be, it was also the last time she ever spent time in the other room he had given her.

From then on she acted as his lifeline to this world, to now, away from the pain of yesterday, and the fear of tomorrow, staying put in the wonders of today.


End file.
